The Secret Deep Author: Stephen James O’Meara Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 978-0-521-19876-9 Price: £29 (Hb) 483pp
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Stephen James O’Meara is unquestionably one of the most celebrated visual observers of our age. Originally a planetary observer, in the past decade he has turned his attention to the treasures of the deep sky using refractors that are small even by modern standards. Having written a few well received books on the Messier, Herschel and Caldwell objects, I was expecting good things for this new book from the get-go. I wasn’t disappointed.

In The Secret Deep, O’Meara struts his stuff once again, presenting nicely written essays on 109 new deep sky targets, including off-the-beaten-track galaxies, open and globular clusters, as well as planetary and emission nebulae. Unlike his previous books, O’Meara moves from using a four-inch (102mm) refractor to a five-inch (127mm) instrument for this study and provides detailed drawings of his impressions of those objects at the eyepiece. The text is also complemented by a series of monochrome images provided by his friend, Mario Motta.

Utilising easy to use star charts to help you find the deep sky objects discussed in the text, O’Meara’s characteristically engaging prose creates the impression that you are observing with a friend, where an eclectic mix of anecdote, science and history are effortlessly woven together. It is important to stress that, like his other books, the objects discussed in The Secret Deep are not progressively more difficult to observe. Many of the clusters and asterisms the author covers are within reach of the average observer using modest equipment, under dark skies. This text is a welcome addition to the library of any deep sky observer and a must for O’Meara fans. Recommended!

Neil English